With or Without You
by music-writing-life
Summary: Rhett has come home again, and Scarlett is trying to get him back. Rhett, however, only sees her desperation and wonders why he can't live without her. This is a song fic one shot that follows the first book and disregards the other two.


"Rhett, I am not your slave! I will not just let you control my life! I bought the mills back from Ashley because he was running out of money. You know he's too proud to accept any money from us, besides what goes towards Beau!"

_See the stone set in your eyes, _

_See the thorn twist in your side._

_I wait for you._

"Why would he take money for his child but not for himself, Scarlett? I don't quite see the point of that. He's too proud to take money, and yet he borrows it anyhow."

Scarlett made an irritated noise and started to walk out of the dining room. Rhett had only just come back home from Europe, and he was already exasperating her as much as was possible.

_Sleight of hand and twist of fate,_

_On a bed of nails she makes me wait._

_And I wait without you._

_With or without you._

_With or without you._

"The only reason he takes it is because I promised Melanie!" she screamed back over her shoulder. "I promised her on her death bed that Beau would always have anything his heart desired- the best toys, a horse, an education, anything. I assured her that I would always treat Beau as if he were my own son. Ashley isn't going to deny Melanie of her last wish to me, and nor will I."

"I have no reason to argue that Beau shouldn't be given as much as we can give him," Rhett retorted, eyes flashing menacingly. "Mrs. Wilkes was the only great lady I ever knew, and if I can do anything to help her son I will willingly do it. What I have reservations about is buying the mills back from Mr. Wilkes without even a thought about the consequences."

_Through the storm we reach the shore,_

_You give it all but I want more._

_And I'm waiting for you._

Scarlett stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She spun around and glared into Rhett's eyes defiantly. "What consequences are you talking about, Rhett? He needed money and I gave him the means to get it back again."

_With or without you,_

_With or without you._

_I can't live,_

_With or without you._

"What I mean, my dear," Rhett said, obviously trying to maintain his composure, "is that when Ashley had no money before the Wilkes came back to Atlanta, you offered him a position at one of your mills. When he acquired enough money to purchase both of them, you sold them to him, no questions asked. Suddenly, Ashley is bankrupt again. What happens now, my dear Mrs. Butler? You will buy them back. Ashley will, in some form or another, always be at our door, and you will constantly be giving in. He will never survive in the world if you happen to die before him, and he'll hold you accountable for sheltering him so much that he never learned how to make a living of his own and try to build his means further."

_And you give yourself away__.  
And you give yourself away.  
And you give,  
And you give,  
And you give yourself away._

Suddenly understanding blossomed in the centre of Scarlett's brain. This wasn't about the money at all. Rhett wasn't concerned for Ashley. He was jealous, jealous because he still believed that Scarlett was Ashley's and Ashley's alone.

_My hands are tied__.  
My body bruised, shes got me with  
Nothing to win and  
Nothing left to lose._

She took a step towards him, waiting for him to throw his arms open and hold her. He had to take her back. He'd kiss her and embrace her and tell her that he loved her. He would apologize for how he had been acting and beg to be forgiven. "Rhett darling, Ashley is nothing to me now. We will only ever be friends. I do not love him anymore- I never loved him to begin with. I love you, always and forever." _  
_

Rhett shook his head. "I can't believe that, Scarlett. I just can not believe it. You always want what you can't have. You wanted Ashley until the night Melanie died, when he became available. You never wanted me until I had decided to leave. There isn't anything left in my heart for you, even if it is true."

Scarlett's breath caught in her throat. She gripped the railing of the staircase, afraid to fall over from the sickness she felt deep inside.

_And you give yourself away.__  
And you give yourself away.  
And you give,  
And you give,  
And you give yourself away._

Rhett smiled, that sardonic smile that made Scarlett want to step away and move closer at the same time. "Don't be sad, Scarlett. You've got your mills back- that's what you've always wanted, isn't it? More money. That's why you married me, so that you'd have my money."

He sighed and put on his hat, wiping the rain off the brim.

"The offer for a divorce still stands. I'm willing to give you half of everything, and keep the house going. All you need to do is sign on the dotted line."

Fury rose in Scarlett's body. "As I told you before you left me, dear husband," she said haughtily, "I will never disgrace my family by divorcing. Can't you see? Don't you feel it Rhett? You must feel it, I know we're meant to be together! I was a fool for thinking I loved Ashley, he was just a portrait I had painted in my mind, the Ashley I loved isn't the real Ashley."

"Excuses, Mrs. Butler. Can you not just admit that we made a mistake???"

"No, I can't, because we didn't! Oh you are so hateful, I don't know why I even love you!"

_With or without you__,  
With or without you.  
I cant live  
With or without you._

Scarlett turned away so that Rhett couldn't see the tears slowly falling. When he spoke again his voice sounded very old, as if he had suddenly aged thirty years.

"You love me because you can't have me, Scarlett. I know, because I once loved you for the same reason."

All grew quiet in the enormous house, and after a moment Rhett turned to leave. He walked out the door, and Scarlett walked up the stairs. She couldn't watch him leave. If she didn't see it happen it wasn't real to her. She heard the door softly close, and she held her head high.

"He'll be back," she said to herself. "And when he comes back I'll figure out how to make him realize he loves me. He'll realize it. He has to. Besides, tomorrow is another day."

_With or without you__,  
With or without you.  
I cant live  
With or without you.  
With or without you._

_Authors Note: I love Gone With the Wind, I love this song, and I love writing. Writing this combined the best of everything. Please review!!!_


End file.
